Sts. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel the Archangels – September 29 – Carmelite Saints

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Summary:

Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel are named.

Michael [“Who is like God?”] appears in Daniel’s vision as “the great prince” who defends Israel against its enemies; in the book of Revelation, he leads God’s armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Raphael’s [“God has Healed”] activity is related in the Book of Tobit. There, he appears to guide Tobit’s son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures that lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah’s marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit’s blindness, and the restoration of the family fortune.

Gabriel [“God is my Strength”] also makes an appearance in Daniel’s visions, announcing Michael’s role in God’s plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.

History:

St. Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael is generally recognized as the chief archangel of the heavenly choir of angels. His name, Quis ut Deus in Latin, means “Who is like God?” This rhetorical challenge to Satan’s pride is also a battle cry of humility and faithfulness, reflecting his role in the defeat of Satan and the fallen angels. It reminds us that our strength is not in ourselves, but in being childlike disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ; thus, we can do all that our Lord calls us to do, provided we remain in communion with him.

Unlike saints who lived earthly lives, St. Michael is an angelic being, a pure spirit, created by God to serve and worship Him. Accordingly, his mission is to protect, defend, and guide, making him a powerful intercessor for the faithful. In Old Testament scripture, seven archangels stand in God's presence, including Gabriel and Raphael. Yet the Greek Fathers and many others place him above all angels as Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, who combats evil and defends the Church and the Faith against Satan's assaults. As such, Michael holds a special place in salvation history and in Catholic devotion, and he is often invoked for protection against evil spirits, including during exorcisms.

Michael appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In Holy Scripture, St. Michael is described as “one of the chief princes, and defender of God’s people” who fought against the prince of Persia in the book of Daniel (Daniel 10:12-21; 12:1). In the New Testament, he is referenced during Christ’s triumphant return: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). St. Jude likewise mentions Michael contending with the devil over the body of Moses (Jude 1:9). Finally, the book of Revelation provides the most prominent reference, depicting him leading the angelic army of God against Satan and his minions and driving them from Heaven (Revelation 12:7-12).

Devotion to him has been widespread since the early centuries of Christianity, especially as a defender against evil. As a result, he is patron of cities, islands, and countries, as well as soldiers, sailors, police officers, paramedics, the afflicted, and paratroopers.

One devotion to St. Michael is the pilgrimage route called the Sword of St. Michael, which links seven shrines dedicated to the great Archangel. This line extends from Ireland to Israel. The shrines are Skellig Michael in Ireland, St. Michael's Mount near Cornwall, England, Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, Sacra di San Michele or San Michele della Chiusa near Turin in northern Italy, the Cave of St. Michael the Archangel in southern Italy, the Monastery of Archangel Michael Panormitis in Greece, and the Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris in Haifa, Israel. Many of these places are associated with apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel and are ancient sites of devotion to the heavenly angel. In addition, a legend tells of the mysterious line as a sword strike by St. Michael in his battle against Satan. It is said that when he threw down Lucifer and a third of the angels, this path was left.

Another devotion began in 1751, when Saint Michael appeared to Antonia d’Astonac, a Carmelite nun in Portugal. He told her he wished to be honored with nine salutations corresponding to the nine Choirs of Angels, consisting of one Our Father and three Hail Marys in honor of each angelic choir. Through this devotion, he promised her that: “Whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching Holy Communion, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he also promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death, deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and all their relations.”

One of the Church's most beloved devotions is the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, written by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. Leo XIII had just finished celebrating Mass at a chapel in the Vatican when he paused for several minutes. According to witnesses, his face showed both horror and wonder. Immediately afterward, he went to his study, sat down at his desk, and wrote out the prayer. He then called his secretary and ordered him to make copies and send them to all the Bishops of the world, with the command to recite it at the end of every Mass.

Pope Leo revealed that he had seen a chilling vision of “legions of demons” attacking the Church and almost destroying it. He then saw St Michael intervening decisively to defend the Church, not immediately, but much later, and only after the faithful had multiplied their fervent prayers to the Archangel.

In our times, reciting the St Michael Prayer after Mass is no longer mandatory. Still, Saint Pope John Paul II recalled the custom in 1994: “Although today this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it, and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against the forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world.” In a world increasingly aware of spiritual warfare, devotion to St. Michael the Archangel remains more important than ever.

St. Raphael the Archangel

St. Raphael the Archangel is one of the three named archangels in the Bible. His name, Deus Curavit in Latin, means “God has healed,” pointing to his divine mission. Accordingly, his office is healing, and he is especially the Angel of the Sick. When we pray for Raphael’s help, he intercedes directly with God as one of the seven Archangels who stand before God's throne and offer Him our prayers. He is called the medicine of God, sent to relieve burdens and suffering and restore God’s people to the truth of God’s love and mercy.

In the Bible, he appears by name only in the Book of Tobit. Tobit is a generous man who eases the suffering of his fellow Jews during the deportation in Assyria. He shares his goods with the poor, gives alms generously, and pays tithes punctually.

Against the orders of King Sennacherib, Tobit buried the bodies of Jews whom Sennacherib had executed in Nineveh, honoring Jewish burial customs. For this, the king ordered Tobit captured and killed. Tobit fled and hid among his relatives until Sennacherib was killed by his sons and Esarhaddon took the throne. Then a relative of Tobit, given authority over the kingdom's credit accounts, interceded for him with the new king, who allowed Tobit to return.

One day, a man was murdered, and Tobit went to bury him. Afterward, he rested in his courtyard when bird droppings landed in his eyes and blinded him. No longer able to work because of his blindness, Tobit did not curse God, but instead prayed for God to end his life.

As Tobit prayed, a young widow named Sarah also prayed to God to end her own misery. Sarah had had seven husbands, but each had been killed by the demon Asmodeus on their wedding night. She feared that she was cursed and could never have a husband and family of her own. In response, God sent the Archangel Raphael to help them both.

Unable to work because of his blindness, Tobit sent his son to Media to recover a large sum of money he had left with a friend. To make the journey safer, Tobit instructed Tobias to hire a guide; Tobias then enlisted Azariah, the archangel Raphael in disguise.

When the two companions reached the Tigris River, Tobias stopped to wash. As he knelt on the bank, a great fish leaped out of the water. Raphael instructed Tobias to seize the fish by the fins, kill it, and remove its heart, liver, and gallbladder. He revealed that burning the heart and liver would drive away evil spirits, and that the gallbladder could cure blindness. Tobias salted the organs to preserve them and wrapped them safely for their journey.

Raphael and Tobias traveled together toward Media. Along the way, Raphael told Tobias about Sarah and encouraged him to take her as his bride, since he was her only eligible suitor. Tobias feared marrying her, believing he might die like Sarah’s seven other husbands. However, Raphael assured him that the fish’s heart and liver would protect him.

Tobias agreed, and he married Sarah. After the ceremony, Sarah’s father, saddened because he believed Tobias would suffer as her seven other husbands, dug a new grave next to the seven other graves. That night, when the newlyweds went to their bedroom, Tobias unwrapped the fish’s heart and liver and laid them upon the hot coals in the fireplace. The evil spirit appeared, but Tobias fanned the smoke toward it, causing the spirit to run shrieking from the room.

The next morning, the newly married couple emerged whole and smiling from their room. Sarah’s parents, filled with joy, celebrated with them for 14 days. Then her father gave the couple half his property, promising they would inherit the rest when he died. Afterward, they set out for Nineveh.

As they approached Tobit’s house, Tobias saw his father stumbling on the road. He ran forward and anointed Tobit’s eyes with the fish’s gall, and Tobit regained his sight. Tobit embraced his son and Sarah and welcomed them joyously into his home.

When Tobias told his father how Azariah, Raphael, had helped him on his journey and cured Tobit’s blindness, Tobit sent for the guide to reward him. Then Raphael spoke privately to Tobit and Tobias and said:

“Bless God and give him thanks before all the living for the good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Proclaim before all with due honor the deeds of God, and do not be slack in thanking him. A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God and give thanks with due honor. Do good, and evil will not overtake you. Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do evil are their own worst enemies.”

“I shall now tell you the whole truth and conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, ‘A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God with due honor.’ Now when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and likewise whenever you used to bury the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury that dead man, I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.”

“Do not fear; peace be with you! Bless God now and forever. As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting out of any favor on my part, but by God’s will. So bless God every day; give praise with song. So now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. Look, I am ascending to the one who sent me. Write down all that has happened to you.”

St. Raphael’s speech to Tobit and Tobias reflects many aspects of Carmelite spirituality regarding prayer, ascesis, and conforming to God’s will. He tells them, and in turn us, to “Bless God.” To bless God is to speak and pray to Him, and, as we have seen, prayer begins when we first think of God. We are told to show Him our appreciation for what He has done for us. So talk to God and tell Him how much you need Him and love Him. This is mental prayer, a loving conversation between you and your Beloved, the Father.

Ascesis is self-denial for the purpose of sacrificial love and self-giving. We must take up our cross daily to follow Christ. As St. Raphael said, he was sent to test them; therefore, thank God for the trials in your lives. God sometimes enables those who love Him to love Him more through trials. Yet, St. Raphael also tells us that God sends His angels to help us in our needs. The deeper and graver our needs, the more certain we can be of angelic assistance.

Raphael also told them to be at peace. Peace of mind and heart comes from conforming our will to God’s. Through mental prayer and meditation with Holy Scripture, by prayerfully reflecting on God’s revealed truth, we grow in our ability to discern God’s will. We shall have peace of heart only in the measure that we know and do God’s will. We must come to know God, not just intellectually, but in a deep, intimate way. By conforming to God’s will, we do not lose ourselves; rather, we become our fullest selves.

Following his speech, St. Raphael vanished from sight. Although the New Testament mentions only the archangels Gabriel and Michael by name, many Church Fathers have speculated that he was the angel mentioned in John’s gospel. The Gospel of John speaks of the pool at Bethesda. “For an angel of the Lord used to come down into the pool; and the water was stirred up, so the first one to get in was healed of whatever disease afflicted him.” (John 5:1-4). Because healing powers are often linked to Raphael, the angel spoken of is generally associated with St. Raphael.

The feast day of St. Raphael was celebrated on October 24. With the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the feast was moved to September 29 to be celebrated with Saints Michael and Gabriel. He is the patron saint of travelers, the blind, bodily ills, happy meetings, marriages, nurses, physicians, and medical workers. He is often pictured holding a staff and either holding or standing on a fish, symbolizing his role in Tobias's journey and the healing acts he performed.

People seek his intercession for physical and spiritual healing, guidance during travel, and protection against evil. In this way, his identity as “the Medicine of God” aligns with the belief that God works through both the miraculous and the ordinary to bring about healing and restoration.

St. Gabriel the Archangel

St. Gabriel serves as God's messenger and appears to several figures in the Bible to deliver important messages. His best-known appearance is the Annunciation, when he told Mary she would bear a son. His name, Deus vim meum est in Latin, means “God is my strength” or “The Strength of God.”

On the meaning of St. Gabriel’s name, St. Bernard of Clairvaux stated in a homily:

“Christ is the power of God, and who could more properly announce His coming than one who was honored by a like name? For what is strength but power? Nor be it held unfitting or unbecoming that the Lord and His messenger should be called by a common name; for though the name of each is the same, the reason of its application is different. In a far different sense from the angel, Christ is called the strength or power of God. The angel is so called as one to whom the name is applied; Christ, as one having the right to it in His own person. Christ is called and is the power of God…

The angel was called “The Strength of God” either because he had deserved the privilege of his office, which was to announce the coming of Power Itself; or because he was to reassure the Virgin, that she, who was by nature fearful, simple, and modest, might not be alarmed by the newness of the miracle. This he did, saying: ‘Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.’”

Pope St. John Paul II similarly said, “[St. Gabriel’s] name means: ‘God is my strength’ or ‘strength of God,’ as if to say that the culmination of creation, the Incarnation, is the supreme sign of the omnipotent Father.”

Gabriel appears in both the Old and the New Testaments. In the Old Testament, he appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions. He first appears to Daniel in the guise of a man and interprets a vision Daniel had of a ram with two horns, overcome by a he-goat. Gabriel explains that the ram is the empire of the Medes and the Persians, which the he-goat, the king of the Greeks (Alexander the Great), will destroy. Daniel received this vision in 554 B.C., while the Israelites were in captivity in Babylonia. The prophecy was fulfilled nearly two hundred years later. He appears again to Daniel (Daniel 9: 21-27) to foretell the coming of the Messiah and the destruction of Jerusalem and its sanctuary.

St. Gabriel is best known for his role in the New Testament. He was chosen as the angel with the privilege of carrying the message of the prophet who would go before the Lord to prepare his way: St. John the Baptist. Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and his wife Elizabeth had been unable to have children, and Elizabeth was well beyond childbearing years. Gabriel approached Zechariah while he burned incense in the temple. Then the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:13). However, Zechariah doubted him. In response, the archangel said, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:19–20).

After Elizabeth conceived and was six months pregnant, Gabriel appears again to Mary at the Annunciation:

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived* a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).

For the birth of His Son, the Eternal Father chose the best of all mothers; and to protect Him, the holiest of all fathers. To announce to the Blessed Virgin and, through her, to all of history, the most august news of this birth, He sent, without doubt, the most sublime messenger: the Archangel St. Gabriel. No other angel has ever brought such an important announcement. Gabriel stands alone as the greatest of all angelic messengers.

Pope St. Gregory the Great reflects on this in a sermon:

Those amongst the heavenly spirits are called angels who carry messages of slight importance, while they whose tidings are more weighty are named archangels. Hence it was that no ordinary angel was sent to the Virgin Mary, but Gabriel the Archangel. It was fitting that the highest angel should come to perform this service, because the event which he announced was the greatest of all events.

For the Carmelites, the Annunciation became a natural and attractive spiritual reference point, understood as a manifestation of the surrender of the human will to the divine plan. This is central to Carmelite spirituality: obedience to the Word of God.

The Annunciation is not simply an event of the past. In the mystery of the Church’s prayer and liturgy, it remains present; God continues to draw near, to speak, and to invite. In the quiet of Nazareth, Mary receives the Word of God with humility and openness. She does not fully understand, yet she listens. She is troubled, yet she trusts. In that moment of surrender, she becomes God's dwelling place.

For Carmelites, this is the heart of our vocation: to listen in silence, to receive the Word, and to allow Christ to take flesh within us. Mary’s “yes” is not only hers, but it also becomes a path for each of us. God continues to call us in the ordinary moments of our lives, asking us to trust, receive, and respond. Like Mary, we are invited to become bearers of Christ in our own time. As the Carmelite martyr St. Titus Brandsma reminds us: “The Lord also sends his angel to us… we too must accept God in our hearts, nourish Him, and make Him grow in us.”

This Carmelite devotion to our Lady naturally extended to those associated with her in a particular way. As a result, we find the Carmelites especially devoted to Mary’s parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim; to her husband, St. Joseph; and to St. Gabriel the Archangel. In fact, St. Gabriel the Archangel was once listed as a protector of the Carmelite order, along with St. Joseph and Mary’s parents. Although St. Gabriel is no longer listed as a protector of the order, St. Joseph is still the principal protector of the Carmelite Order, with St. Joachim and Anne listed as protectors on the O.Carm calendar.

After the Annunciation, the Bible does not mention St. Gabriel by name again. However, tradition holds that he is the unnamed angel who appeared to speak to St. Joseph, comforted him, and encouraged him to take Mary as his wife. St. Bernard of Clairvaux stated in a homily that it is not “unreasonable to suppose, albeit it is not so stated by the Evangelist, that perchance the same angel comforted her spouse, who, though a man, was humble and fearful. 'Joseph,' he said, 'son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife.' Gabriel, therefore, is fitly chosen for this service.”

Furthermore, St. Gabriel is believed to have announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. He is also believed to have appeared to the women approaching Jesus’ tomb the day of the Resurrection. Tradition also holds that St. Gabriel the Archangel, the Strength of God, appeared to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to strengthen Him for His passion. He is also occasionally cited as the one who will blow God's trumpet to indicate the Lord's return to Earth in the Book of Revelation.

The feast of St. Gabriel was traditionally on March 24, the day before the Feast of the Annunciation. In 1969, the feast day for St. Gabriel the Archangel changed to September 29 for a combined celebration with the Archangels Michael and Raphael. He is recognized as the patron saint of messengers, telecommunication workers, and postal workers. This reflects his role as the Angel of the Annunciation, who brought Mary the message of Jesus’ birth.

God has employed St. Gabriel in each stage of the great work of salvation. Gabriel prepares the way for Jesus. He foretells the time of His Coming to Daniel. He announces the birth of His precursor, St. John the Baptist. He is present at the solemn moment when the Word is made Flesh at the Annunciation. He invites the Shepherds of Bethlehem to come to the Crib and adore the Divine Babe. And when Jesus, in his Agony, is to receive Strength from one of His own creatures, Gabriel is found ready in the Garden of Gethsemani, as he had been at Nazareth and Bethlehem.

Prayers:

Collect of the Mass for the Archangels:

O God, who dispose in a marvelous order

ministries both angelic and human,

graciously grant

that our life on earth may be defended

by those who watch over us

as they minister perpetually to you in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

The Chaplet of St. Michael

O God, come to my assistance.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine choirs of angels.

1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.
2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord vouchsafe to grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness to run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.
3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones, may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.
4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominions, may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.
5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers, may the Lord vouchsafe to protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.
6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and suffer us not to fall into temptation. Amen.
7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities, may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.
8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels, may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works, in order that we gain the glory of Paradise. Amen.
9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels, may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted hereafter to eternal glory. Amen.

Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, our Guardian Angel.

The chaplet is concluded with the following prayers:

O glorious Prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King, and our admirable conductor, thou who dost shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, vouchsafe to deliver us from all evil, who turn to thee with confidence, and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

V. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Prayer

Almighty and Everlasting God, who by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael, Prince of Thy Church, make us worthy, we beseech Thee, to be delivered from all our enemies that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into the august presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to St. Raphael, the Archangel

Blessed Saint Raphael, Archangel,
we beseech you to help us in all our needs and trials of this life,
as you, through the power of God, restored Tobit’s sight
and gave guidance to young Tobias.

We humbly seek your aid and intercession,

that our souls may be healed,
our bodies protected from all ills,
and that through divine grace we may become fit to dwell
in the eternal Glory of God in Heaven.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Gabriel the Archangel

St. Gabriel the Archangel, I venerate you as the “Angel of the Incarnation,” because God has specially appointed you to bear the messages concerning the God-Man to Daniel, Zechariah, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Give me a very tender and devoted love for the Incarnate Word and his Blessed Mother, more like your own. 

I venerate you also as the “strength from God,” because you are the giver of God’s strength; consoler and comforter – chosen to strengthen God’s faithful and to teach them important truths. I ask for the grace of a special power of the will to strive for holiness of life. 

Steady my resolutions. Renew my courage. Comfort and console me in the problems, trials, and sufferings of daily living, as you consoled our Savior in His agony, and Mary in her sorrows, and Joseph in his trials. I put my confidence in you. 

St. Gabriel, I ask you especially for this favor: (Mention your petition now)

Through your earnest love for the Son of God-Made-Man and for His blessed Mother, I beg of you, intercede for me that my request may be granted, if it be God’s holy Will. 

V:/ Pray for us, St. Gabriel the Archangel,
R:/ that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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St Simon Stock – May 16 – Carmelite Saints
Summary: Simon, an Englishman, died at Bordeaux in the mid-thirteenth century. He has been venerated in the Carmelite Order for his personal holiness and his devotion to Our Lady. A liturgical celebration in his honor was observed locally in the fifteenth century, and later extended to the whole Order. History: St. Simon Stock, also known as Simon Anglus or Simon the Englishman, was born in Kent, England, in 1165 to noble parents. Growing up during a period of intense religious fervor, he showed deep devotion to God from a young age. When he was 12, he left home and became a hermit, living in the hollow trunk of an oak tree. Like the earliest monks, he survived on fruit and water while dedicating his days to prayer and meditation. Alone in his tree, he prayed without ceasing, which inspired the belief that his surname, Stock, comes from the Old English word for a tree trunk. After two decades of solitude in the wilderness, he returned to society to pursue an education in theology and become a priest. Later, he served as an itinerant preacher and went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. However, his pilgrimage ended abruptly when invading Muslims expelled Christians, forcing his return to England. Upon returning to his hermitage, Simon remained there until 1212. In that year, his calling to join the Carmelite Order, which had only recently entered England, was revealed to him. Tradition says the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Simon Stock and told him to leave his hermitage and join the order. Impressed by the Carmelites’ form of monasticism, Simon joined them in 1212. Seeking a deeper commitment, he studied sacred scripture at Oxford and then in Rome. After his studies, he spent several years at Mt. Carmel. Soon after his arrival, he became vicar general in 1215. In this new role, he defended the Carmelites' legitimacy, a dispute later settled by the Popes. In 1237, Simon attended a general chapter in the Holy Land. Facing Muslim persecution, most monks relocated to Europe, including England. After Simon returned to England from Mount Carmel with a group of Carmelites, they were sent to found a house at Aylesford, Kent. In 1247, Alan, the General of the Order, died. Simon was elected to succeed him as the sixth general of the Carmelites. This election happened at the first general chapter of the Carmelite Order held outside the Holy Land, in Aylesford. At that time, he was about 82 years old. Despite his advanced age, Simon displayed remarkable energy as general and achieved much for the order's benefit. Due to his accomplishments, he is justly regarded as the most celebrated of its generals. After his appointment, Simon led the Order with extraordinary prudence and won widespread admiration. Many described him as a man sent from Heaven to spread throughout Europe the zeal of Elijah. Under Simon's leadership, the Carmelite Order expanded its influence in England and across Europe. He oversaw the establishment of new Carmelite houses in Cambridge (1248), Oxford (1253), Paris (1260), and Bologna (1260), greatly advancing the Order's growth and providing training for its younger members in those university towns. Additionally, Simon revised the Rule of the Order, changing it from a hermitic Order to one of mendicant friars. He loved and respected the Order’s traditions but saw the need to adapt to European society. He sought to make the Carmelite way of life practicable in a new European society without altering the essence of the Rule or detracting from the prophetic vocation. Simon secured temporary approval from Pope Innocent IV for the altered rule. Despite its growth, the Carmelite Order faced many challenges, including opposition from clergy and other religious groups. During these difficulties, the monks prayed to the Blessed Virgin. Tradition holds that she told Simon they should petition Pope Innocent IV. He obeyed, and on January 13, 1252, the Order received a letter of protection. Throughout his life, St. Simon Stock was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tradition credits him as the author of "Flos Carmeli" and "Ave Stella Matutina." He continually pleaded with the Mother of God to grant some privilege to the Order of Carmelites. Tradition says the Blessed Virgin appeared to Simon on July 16, 1251, accompanied by a host of angels. She held in her hands the scapular of the Order and said to Simon, "This shall be a sign unto thee, and the privilege of all Carmelites, that he who shall die piously, wearing this scapular, shall not fall into the eternal flames." Saint Simon Stock is often depicted as a Carmelite friar holding a scapular or receiving one from the Blessed Virgin. Later, in 1265, St. Simon Stock passed through Toulouse and met Bl. Jane of Toulouse. She was a devout woman who, after the founding of a Carmelite monastery in the city in 1240, chose to live as a recluse near the monastery, leading a life of great austerity. In meeting Simon, she requested affiliation with the Carmelites. Simon agreed, and Jane became the first member of the Carmelite tertiary order, receiving the habit from him. In Carmelite tradition, she is considered the first woman Carmelite and the founder of the Carmelite Third Order. Soon after, Simon died on May 16, 1265, at the age of 100 while visiting the Carmelite monastery in Bordeaux, France. His remains were kept in the room where he died, which became a chapel. Eventually, his remains were moved to the Carmelite friary in Aylesford, England. Saint Simon Stock's life embodied unwavering commitment to the Carmelite Order and devotion to the Virgin Mary. His spiritual leadership and drive for reform left a profound legacy on the Church, especially among the Carmelites, who continue to honor his memory and seek his intercession. Following his death, reports of numerous miracles began to occur at his resting place. In 1435, Pope Eugene IV permitted the Carmelites of Bordeaux to celebrate a Mass in his honor; this permission was extended to the entire Order in 1564. After the Carmelite calendar reform in 1584, the feast was dropped. In the 17th century, the celebration of St. Simon was reinstated, delisted again in 1972, and finally restored in 1978 with the Pope’s approval. Prayer: Father, You called St. Simon Stock to serve you in the brotherhood of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Through his prayers help us like him to live in your presence and to work for man’s salvation. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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Bl Maria Giuseppina of Jesus Crucified – June 26 – Carmelite Saints
Summary: Giuseppina Catanea was born in Naples on February 18, 1894. She entered the Carmelite community of Santa Maria Ponti Rossi and made her solemn profession on August 6, 1933. In 1945, she was elected prioress, an office she held until her death. She endured the painful trials of illness and persecution by abandoning herself to the will of God. All who sought her help were inspired by her deep spirituality, humility, and simplicity, as she inspired hope and faith in God and in the Blessed Virgin Mary. She died in Naples on March 14, 1948. History: Giuseppina Catanea, born in Naples on February 18, 1896, was a member of the noble Marquises Grimaldi family. She was the third child of Francesco Catanea, a railway employee in Benevento, and Concetta dei Marchesi Grimaldi. Baptized four days after her birth, she grew up with a frail build. Despite her physical weakness, "Pinella," as her family called her, enjoyed a typical childhood. Her sister, Maria, became her first playmate; soon, she had many friends in elementary school. The testimony of faith Giuseppina received from her family, especially from her maternal grandmother, Antonietta, and her mother, profoundly shaped her. As a young child, she demonstrated great affection for the poor and most needy, offering them money and care. She also assisted two elderly women who lived alone. Devoted to Mary and the Eucharist, Giuseppina eagerly sought chances to pray the rosary. Even at an early age, she was convinced that Jesus was calling her to Carmel. On May 30, 1904, she received the Sacrament of Confirmation, having celebrated her First Communion a few years earlier. In 1906, Giuseppina attended the Regina Margherita commercial school. Although recurring health issues often kept her from classes, she excelled academically. She also took time to assist classmates struggling with their studies. On September 5, 1908, Antonietta, her other sister, entered the Carmelite monastery of Saints John and Teresa. As Giuseppina accompanied her, she felt drawn to the cloistered life in Carmel. Yet, her great affection for her mother led her to set that idea aside. Soon after, she began to contemplate marriage and starting a family, only to realize she was called to something else. Meanwhile, Antonietta returned home for health reasons. Her spiritual director, the Discalced Carmelite Fr. Romualdo, then chose Antonietta to found a new Carmel in Naples. Beginning August 15, 1910, she started her new life in two small rooms rented from the Bethlehem Sisters in Santa Maria dei Monti, on the Ponti Rossi hill. On October 22, she received the Carmelite habit and the new name of Sr. Maria Teresa. Giuseppina, who went to the service, felt her desire for consecration return, but she still worried about leaving her mother. Her health was also a concern. In 1912, she was diagnosed with angina, a heart condition, which was later followed by spinal tuberculosis. As her illnesses continued, Giuseppina stayed firm in her faith and prayed for strength. Gradually, her condition worsened, confining her to a wheelchair. After finishing her studies, Giuseppina sought employment but found no opportunities. Instead, she tutored girls preparing for remedial exams. In helping them academically, she also guided them back to God. Meanwhile, the Carmelite community continued to grow as it awaited the completion of a new monastery, which was finished on April 2, 1913. After much prayer and discussion with the nuns, Giuseppina realized she must join them. "I can no longer keep Him who calls me waiting," she told her mother, sister, and aunts, who were opposed to it. For the time being, she joined the Third Order of Carmelites and received the scapular. On March 10, 1918, Giuseppina entered the Carmelite Community at St. Maria ai Ponti Rossi. As a young religious, she learned to love Christ through suffering, offering herself as a victim for the good of all priests. She accepted great physical pain as God's will for her. On Christmas Day 1918, Giuseppina, after spending a long time in the chapel, emerged staggering and shivering. On December 28, the community doctor diagnosed her with double pneumonia. The Sacraments of the dying were then brought to her. Her condition worsened, but she tried to endure it, thinking of the imminent foundation of the new Carmel. In June, she was struck by tuberculosis of the spine, which completely paralyzed her. Even in that condition, Giuseppina tried to do God's will, but her fellow nuns constantly hoped for her recovery. During this time, she experienced two visions of Saint Francis Xavier. When she saw before her a saintly figure, a voice revealed: "St. Francis has cured you of your illness." At first, she did not know who the saint was. A week later, Fr. Romualdo brought her a holy card of St. Francis Xavier, along with the "Novena of Grace," a special prayer for his intercession. Giuseppina immediately recognized him from her dream and began the novena. She later learned that the relic of Saint Francis Xavier's arm would pass through Naples. When the relic was brought to the monastery on June 26, 1922, and placed next to Giuseppina, a strange wind, felt by those present, pushed her, who was completely paralyzed, to her feet. Gradually, she sat up in bed, opened her mouth again, and finally stood up, while her fellow nuns cried out that it was a miracle. Although she would have been glad to live in solitude, news of her miraculous recovery spread quickly. Priests, seminarians, and people of every social class began coming to Ponti Rossi to seek counsel and consolation from her. This made her realize she wanted to be a victim of humanity's suffering. Filled with a new sensitivity, she was filled with a new sensitivity, a gift of the Holy Spirit. In 1932, Pope Pius XI officially recognized the house at Ponti Rossi as a convent of the Discalced Carmelites, named "the Carmel of Sts Teresa and Joseph at Ponti Rossi,” placing it under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Naples. Giuseppina received the Carmelite habit and took the name Sr. Maria Giuseppina of Jesus Crucified. On August 6, 1932, she made her Solemn Profession. On the day she took the habit, she said that she wished to offer herself to the Crucified Jesus so that she could be crucified with Him. She suffered silently but joyfully and abandoned herself to the will of God, who favored her with mystical experiences. In 1934, Cardinal Alessio Ascalesi, the Archbishop of Naples, appointed Sr. Maria Giuseppina the Sub-prioress of the Carmel. In obedience and at the advice of her spiritual director, Fr. Romualdo, she wrote her "Autobiography" (1894-1932) and her "Diary" (1925-45). She also left exhortations for the nuns and letters to priests and other faithful. Her spirituality, loving docility, humility, and simplicity shone especially during World War II. Amidst the turmoil, she prayed constantly, driven by a deep trust in God. Those who came to Ponti Rossi found encouragement and hope in her words, enabling them to overcome life's trials. From 1943, Sister Maria Giuseppina endured ear trouble, numbness, pain from multiple sclerosis, and loss of vision, among other health issues. She considered her illnesses to be "a magnificent gift" that allowed her to better conform to the Crucified Christ. Maintaining a cheerful spirit, she offered her body as a sacrifice for souls. By 1944, at the age of 50, she was forced to use a wheelchair. In 1945, she became the Vicar. That same year, on September 29, the Ponti Rossi Carmel held its first General Chapter, electing Sr. Maria Giuseppina as Prioress, a position she held until her death. She accepted the role only out of obedience to the archbishop. Toward her fellow nuns, she expressed a truly maternal attitude, offering encouragement both in her words and by example. Between the end of January and the beginning of February 1948, Mother Maria Giuseppina suffered a physical collapse. The doctors gave her little hope, so much so that she wondered, "What is this disease called?" She immediately found the answer: "It is the infirmity of God's will." Fr. Romualdo then administered the Sacraments of the Dying. Despite these health challenges, Giuseppina remained steadfast in her commitment to her religious life and to serving others. Her spiritual journey and unwavering perseverance inspired those around her. Bl. Maria Giuseppina of Jesus Crucified passed away on March 14, 1948, in Naples, Italy. In recognition of her saintly virtues, Giuseppina was venerated on January 3, 1987, by Pope St. John Paul II, who declared that she had lived a life of heroic virtue. An investigation into a miracle was conducted in Naples from November 5, 2004, to May 9, 2005, in the case of Francesco Natale, born on April 21, 1999, to Rosario Natale and Anna Di Francesco. On June 19 of that year, he was rushed to Santobono Hospital in Naples, where he was diagnosed with a severe form of encephalitis, caused by a virus, which had caused convulsions and shock. As Francesco got worse, his parents, friends, and the Carmelite nuns prayed for Mother Maria Giuseppina's intercession. On June 30, Francesco was moved to the Neonatal Unit and left the hospital on July 5, with no trace of the illness. Pope Benedict XVI approved the healing as a legitimate miracle on December 17, 2007, a move that would allow her beatification. The beatification ceremony took place on June 1, 2008, in the Cathedral of Naples, Italy, at which the Archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, presided. Her feast day is celebrated on March 14. Her memorial for the Diocese of Naples and the Discalced Carmelites is celebrated on June 26, the anniversary of the day Bl. Maria Giuseppina was healed of paralysis and began her new life. Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, who willed to conform to Christ crucified the virgin Blessed Maria Giuseppina, as a victim for sinners, grant that we, through her intercession and example, may always embrace our own cross and humbly fulfil your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.